Power amplification system with programmable load line

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein are power amplification (PA) systems configured to amplify a signal, such as a radio-frequency signal. The PA system includes a plurality of power amplifiers that are configured to amplify a signal received at a signal input and to output the amplified signal at a signal output. The power amplifiers are configured to receive a supply voltage that is a combination of a battery voltage and an envelope tracking signal. The PA system includes a PA controller configured to control the power amplifiers based at least in part on the battery voltage or a power output of the power amplifiers. The PA controller can be configured to alter impedance matching components of the PA system to reconfigure a load line of the power amplifiers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/221,489 filed Jul. 27, 2016, entitled POWER AMPLIFICATION SYSTEM WITHPROGRAMMABLE LOAD LINE, which claims priority to U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 62/198,044 filed Jul. 28, 2015, entitled POWERAMPLIFICATION SYSTEM WITH PROGRAMMABLE LOAD LINE, the disclosure of eachof which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein in itsentirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND Field

The present disclosure relates to power amplification systems configuredto amplify signals for wireless communication.

Description of Related Art

Power amplification systems can be used to amplify wireless signals fortransmission. These amplification systems can be powered using a supplyvoltage. Impedance matching circuits can be used to match input and/oroutput impedances around the power amplifiers to increase or maximizepower output.

SUMMARY

According to a number of implementations, the present disclosure relatesto a power amplification system that includes a plurality of poweramplifiers connected in parallel between a signal input terminal and asignal output terminal, each one of the plurality of power amplifiersincluding a power amplifier input terminal coupled to the signal inputterminal, a power amplifier output terminal coupled to the signal outputterminal, and an enable terminal for receiving an enable signal. Thesystem also includes a power amplifier controller configured toselectively provide an enable signal to one or more of the plurality ofpower amplifiers based on an output impedance at the signal outputterminal.

In some embodiments, the plurality of power amplifiers is powered by asupply voltage. In some embodiments, the supply voltage is unregulatedby a DC-DC converter. In some embodiments, the supply voltage iscombined with an envelope tracking signal to power the plurality ofamplifiers. In some embodiments, the supply voltage and envelopetracking signal are combined by an LC combiner. In some embodiments, thepower amplification system further includes a blocking inductor disposedbetween the LC combiner and the signal output terminal. In someembodiments, the envelope tracking signal is generated by adigital-to-analog conversion of a digital envelope signal. In someembodiments, the digital envelop signal includes two or more concurrentdigital signals.

In some embodiments, the power amplifier controller is furtherconfigured to provide the enable signal based on the supply voltage. Insome embodiments, the power amplifier controller is powered by thesupply voltage.

In some embodiments, the power amplifier controller is furtherconfigured to provide the enable signal based on an output power at thesignal output terminal. In some embodiments, the power amplifiercontroller is further configured to provide the enable signal based on atarget output power.

In some embodiments, the plurality of power amplifiers includes one ormore cascode amplifiers. In some embodiments, the power amplificationsystem further includes an input impedance matching component disposedbetween the signal input terminal and the power amplifier inputterminals. In some embodiments, the power amplification system furtherincludes an output impedance matching component disposed between thepower amplifier output terminals and the signal output terminal.

In a number of implementations, the present disclosure relates to aradio-frequency (RF) module that includes a packaging substrateconfigured to receive a plurality of components. The module alsoincludes a power amplification system implemented on the packagingsubstrate, the power amplification system including a plurality of poweramplifiers connected in parallel between an radio-frequency (RF) inputterminal and an RF output terminal, each one of the plurality of poweramplifiers including an power amplifier input terminal coupled to the RFinput terminal, a power amplifier output terminal coupled to the RFoutput terminal, and an enable terminal for receiving an enable signal,the power amplification system further including a power amplifiercontroller configured to selectively provide an enable signal to one ormore of the plurality of power amplifiers based on an output impedanceat the RF output terminal.

In some embodiments, the module further includes an envelope trackerimplemented on the packaging substrate, the envelope tracker configuredto provide an envelope tracking signal based on a received digitalenvelope signal. In some embodiments, the module further includes an LCcombiner implemented on the packaging substrate, the LC combinerconfigured to combine a supply voltage and the envelope tracking signalto power the plurality of power amplifiers.

In accordance with some implementations, the present disclosure relatesto a wireless device that includes a transceiver configured to generatea radio-frequency (RF) signal. The device also includes a front-endmodule (FEM) in communication with the transceiver, the FEM including apackaging substrate configured to receive a plurality of components, theFEM further including a power amplification system implemented on thepackaging substrate, the power amplification system including aplurality of power amplifiers connected in parallel between anradio-frequency (RF) input terminal and an RF output terminal, each oneof the plurality of power amplifiers including an power amplifier inputterminal coupled to the RF input terminal, a power amplifier outputterminal coupled to the RF output terminal, and an enable terminal forreceiving an enable signal, the power amplification system furtherincluding a power amplifier controller configured to selectively providean enable signal to one or more of the plurality of power amplifiersbased on an output impedance at the RF output terminal. The device alsoincludes an antenna in communication with the FEM, the antennaconfigured to transmit the amplified RF signal received from the poweramplification system.

In some embodiments, the device further includes a coupler configured toprovide a copy of the signal at the RF output terminal to the poweramplifier controller.

For purposes of summarizing the disclosure, certain aspects, advantagesand novel features of the inventions have been described herein. It isto be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may beachieved in accordance with any particular embodiment. Thus, theinventions may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves oroptimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein withoutnecessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggestedherein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example wireless communication configuration thatincludes a power amplification system with a plurality of poweramplifiers that are configured to be selectively enabled by a poweramplification controller.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example wireless communication configuration thatincludes a power amplification system and an envelope tracker, the poweramplification system dynamically controlled by the power amplificationcontroller to increase performance.

FIG. 3 illustrates a wireless communication configuration that includesa plurality of cascode power amplifiers that can be controlled by apower amplification controller based on output power and/or supplyvoltage.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example envelope tracker that is configured toreceive an envelope signal as a two-bit digital signal.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart representation of an example method ofprocessing an RF signal based at least in part on an output impedance.

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic illustration of a power amplificationsystem that includes input and output impedance matching to dynamicallyconfigure a load line.

FIG. 7 illustrates a plot of example load lines that can be programmedbased on the supply voltage, output power, and/or output impedance.

FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate power amplification systems having one ormore features as described herein can be implemented, wholly orpartially, in a module.

FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate example wireless devices having one or moreadvantageous features described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

The headings provided herein, if any, are for convenience only and donot necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the claimed invention.

Power amplification systems are often powered using a supply voltage(e.g., from a battery). In some implementations, the voltage from thebattery is regulated (e.g., with a buck converter or a boost converter)to a fixed value to compensate for variations in the voltage output fromthe battery due to manufacturing variation, age, temperature, or othereffects. Failure to employ such a regulator can result in a change inthe compression characteristics of the power amplifier and degrade itslinearity. However, use of a regulator increases the overall cost of thesystem.

Disclosed herein are various examples of circuits, devices and methodsthat can be configured to, among other things, address the foregoingchallenges associated with power amplification systems. In someimplementations as described herein, a power amplification system ispowered by a supply voltage that is combined with an envelope trackingsignal to provide a dynamic boost. In some implementations, the poweramplification system is configured with a programmable load line basedon the supply voltage, output power level, and/or output impedance.

FIG. 1 schematically shows an example wireless communicationconfiguration 100 that includes a power amplification (PA) system 110coupled to an antenna 140. The PA system 110 includes a poweramplification (PA) controller 120 and a plurality of power amplifiers130 a-130 c connected in parallel between a signal input terminal 111and a signal output terminal 112. In operation, the PA system 110receives a signal (e.g., a radio frequency signal) at the signal inputterminal 111 and outputs an amplified version of the signal at thesignal output terminal 112. In certain implementations, the plurality ofpower amplifiers 130 a-130 c can be connected in series or arranged in amulti-stage amplification configuration. Similarly, a different numberof power amplifiers can be used, such as two, four, five, six, seven,etc.

Each one of the plurality of power amplifiers 130 a-130 c includes apower amplifier input terminal 131 a-131 c coupled to the signal inputterminal 111, a power amplifier output terminal 132 a-132 c coupled tothe signal output terminal 112, and an enable terminal 133 a-133 c forreceiving an enable signal. When enabled, each of the power amplifiers130 a-130 c produce, at the power amplifier output terminal 132 a-132 c,an amplified version of the signal received at the power amplifier inputterminal 131 a-131 c. In various implementations, the enable signal canbe a biasing voltage that biases one or more transistors of the poweramplifier 130 a-130 c, a switching signal that closes one or moreswitches between the signal input terminal 111 and the power amplifierinput terminals 131 a-131 b or between the signal output terminal 112and the power amplifier output terminals 132 a-132, or any other kind ofenable (or disable) signal.

In some implementations, each of the power amplifiers 130 a-130 c areidentical (e.g., produce the same current). In some implementations, thepower amplifiers 130 a-130 c are different (e.g., produce differentamounts of current). For example, each power amplifier 130 a-130 c mayoutput twice the current of another of the power amplifiers 130 a-130 cto provide a variety of current outputs in a binary fashion.

The wireless communication configuration 100 further includes a coupler144 disposed between the signal output terminal 112 and the antenna 140.The coupler 144 provides a copy of the amplified signal to the PAcontroller 120. Based on this received copy of the output signal, the PAcontroller 120 can determine an output impedance at the signal outputterminal 112. In some implementations, the PA controller 120 canadditionally (or alternatively) determine an output power at the signaloutput terminal 112 or a VSWR (Voltage Standing Wave Ratio) of the PAsystem 110. The output impedance can change based on environmentalfactors, such as humidity or temperature of the air around the antenna140, objects proximal to the antenna 140, age of the antenna 140, orother factors.

Based on the output impedance (and/or output power), the PA controller120 determines which of the plurality of power amplifiers 130 a-130 c toenable (or not enable). Thus, the PA controller 120 selectively providesan enable signal to one or more of the plurality of power amplifiers 130a-130 c (via the enable terminals 133 a-133 b) based on an outputimpedance (and/or output power) at the signal output terminal 112.

FIG. 2 shows that, in some embodiments, a wireless communicationconfiguration 200 can include a PA system 210 powered by a supplyvoltage. The wireless communication configuration 200 includes a PAsystem 210 including a plurality of power amplifiers 230 connectedbetween a signal input terminal 111 and a signal output terminal 112.The power amplifiers 230 can include a plurality of amplifiers arrangedin parallel, arranged in series, arranged to have multiple amplificationstages, or any combination of these.

The power amplifiers 230 are powered by a supply voltage (Vbatt) via asupply terminal 114. In some implementations (e.g., as shown in FIG. 2),the supply voltage is unregulated by a DC-DC converter, such as a buckconverter or a boost converter. However, the supply voltage is combinedwith an envelope tracking signal to power the power amplifiers 230. Anenvelope tracker 250 receives a signal indicative of the envelope of thesignal to be amplified and produces the envelope tracking signal. Thesupply voltage and the envelope tracking signal are combined with an LCcombiner including an inductor 251 coupled between the supply voltageand the supply terminal 114 and a capacitor 252 coupled between theenvelope tracker 250 and the supply terminal 114.

The PA system 210 further includes a PA controller 220 configured toselectively provide an enable signal to one or more of the plurality ofpower amplifiers 230 based on an output impedance at the signal outputterminal 112. As described above, the output impedance can be determinedbased on a signal received from a coupler 144 disposed between thesignal output terminal 112 and an antenna 140.

In some implementations, the PA controller 220 is further configured toprovide the enable signal based on the supply voltage. In someimplementations, the PA controller 220 is powered by the supply voltageand can, thereby, determine the supply voltage and any variationsthereof. In some implementations, the PA controller 220 is powered by adifferent voltage and receives a signal indicative of the supplyvoltage. In various implementations, the signal can be the supplyvoltage, an attenuated version of the supply voltage, a digital signalindicative of whether the supply voltage is above or below a threshold,or an analog voltage indicative of an amount that the supply voltageexceeds a threshold.

In some implementations, the PA controller 220 is further configured toprovide the enable signal based on an output power at the signal outputterminal 112. As described above, the output power can be determinedbased on a signal received from a coupler 144 disposed between thesignal output terminal 112 and an antenna 140. In some implementations,the PA controller 220 is further configured to provide the enable signalbased on a target output power (Pout) received from a basebandcontroller or other component.

In some implementations, in response to a higher output impedance, thePA controller 220 enables more of the power amplifiers 230 (or enables adifferent set of power amplifiers 230 that outputs more current).Similarly, in response to a lower output impedance, the PA controller220 enables fewer of the power amplifiers 230 (or enables a differentset of power amplifiers 230 that outputs less current). In someimplementations, if the output power is lower than the target outputpower, the PA controller 220 enables more of the power amplifiers 230(or enables a different set of power amplifiers 230 that outputs morecurrent). Similarly, if the output power is higher than the targetoutput power, the PA controller 220 enables fewer of the poweramplifiers 230 (or enables a different set of power amplifiers 230 thatoutputs less current).

In some implementations, in response to a lower supply voltage, the PAcontroller 220 enables more of the power amplifiers 230 (or enables adifferent set of power amplifiers 230 that outputs more current).Similarly, in response to a higher supply voltage, the PA controller 220enables fewer of the power amplifiers 230 (or enables a different set ofpower amplifiers 230 that outputs less current).

In a number of embodiments, the present disclosure provides a poweramplification (PA) system 210 configured to amplify a signal, such as aradio-frequency signal. The PA system 210 includes a signal input 111and a signal output 112 with a plurality of power amplifiers 230 coupledbetween the signal input 111 and the signal output 112. The poweramplifiers 230 are configured to amplify a signal received at the signalinput 111 and to output the amplified signal at the signal output 112.The power amplifiers 230 are configured to receive a supply voltage thatis a combination of a battery voltage and an envelope tracking signal.The PA system 210 includes a PA controller 220 configured to control thepower amplifiers 230 based at least in part on the battery voltage or apower output of the power amplifiers 230. The PA controller 220 isconfigured to receive a signal indicative of the output signal at thesignal output 112 from a coupler 144. The PA controller is furtherconfigured to alter impedance matching components of the PA system 210to reconfigure a load line of the power amplifiers 230.

FIG. 3 shows that, in some embodiments, a wireless communicationconfiguration 300 can include a plurality of cascode power amplifiers330 a-330 c. The wireless communication configuration 300 includes an RFmodule 310 including a plurality of power amplifiers 330 a-330 bconnected in parallel between a signal input terminal 311 of the RFmodule 310 and a signal output terminal 312 of the RF module 310.

Each of the power amplifiers 330 a-330 b is a cascode power amplifierincluding two transistors, a drain of the first transistor coupled to asource of a second transistor. Each of the power amplifiers 330 a-330 bare powered by a supply voltage (Vbatt) via a supply terminal 314 of theRF module 310. In some implementations (e.g., as shown in FIG. 3), thesupply voltage is unregulated by a DC-DC converter, such as a buckconverter or a boost converter. However, the supply voltage is combinedwith an envelope tracking signal to power the power amplifiers 330 a-330c. An envelope tracker 250 (e.g., as described below with respect toFIG. 4) receives, at one or more envelope terminals 313 of the RF module310, a signal indicative of the envelope of the signal to be amplifiedand produces the envelope tracking signal.

The supply voltage and the envelope tracking signal are combined with anLC combiner including an inductor 251 coupled between the supply voltageand an LC node and a capacitor 252 coupled between the envelope trackingsignal and the LC node. A matching inductor 253 is disposed between theLC node and the power amplifiers 330 a-330 c. In particular, thematching inductor 253 is disposed between the LC combiner and the signaloutput terminal 312. The LC combiner operates to combine the constantcomponent of the supply voltage and the variable component of theenvelope tracking signal. The matching inductor 253 operates to blockthe amplified signal (at the output terminal 312) from propagating tothe envelope tracker 250 or other components of the RF module 310.

The supply voltage combined with the envelope tracking signal is used topower the power amplifiers 330 a-330 c by feeding it (via the matchinginductor 253) to a source of the first transistor of each of the cascodepower amplifiers.

Each of the power amplifiers 330 a-330 c receives the signal to beamplified from the signal input terminal 311 of the RF module 310 (viaan input impedance matching component 361) and provides an amplifiedversion of the signal at the signal output terminal 312 of the RF module310 (via an output impedance matching component 362). Thus, the inputimpedance matching component 361 is disposed between the signal inputterminal 311 and the power amplifier input terminals and the outputimpedance matching component 362 is disposed between the power amplifieroutput terminals and the signal output terminal 312.

The signal to be amplified is fed to a gate of the second transistor ofeach of the cascode power amplifiers. Although not shown in FIG. 3, abiasing voltage may also be provided to the gate of the secondtransistor of each of the cascode power amplifiers. The amplified signalis output from the source of the first transistor of each of the cascodepower amplifiers that are enabled (e.g., by the PA controller 320). Thecascode power amplifiers are enabled by providing a biasing voltage tothe gate of the first transistor of the cascode power amplifier.

The wireless communication configuration 300 further includes a PAcontroller 320 configured to selectively provide an enable signal to oneor more of the plurality of power amplifiers 330 a-330 c based on anoutput impedance at the signal output terminal 312. As described above,the output impedance can be determined based on a signal received from acoupler 144 disposed between the signal output terminal 312 and anantenna 140.

In some implementations, the PA controller 320 is further configured toprovide the enable signal based on the supply voltage. In someimplementations, the PA controller 320 is powered by the supply voltageand can, thereby, determine the supply voltage and any variationsthereof. In some implementations, the PA controller 320 is powered by adifferent voltage and receives a signal indicative of the supplyvoltage.

In some implementations, the PA controller 320 is further configured toprovide the enable signal based on an output power at the signal outputterminal 312. As described above, the output power can be determinedbased on a signal received from a coupler 144 disposed between thesignal output terminal 312 and an antenna 140. In some implementations,the PA controller 220 is further configured to provide the enable signalbased on a target output power (Pout) received from a basebandcontroller or other component.

Although FIG. 3 illustrates a plurality of power amplifiers 330 a-330 cas a plurality of cascode amplifiers, in various implementations, thepower amplifiers can include different types of power amplifiers, suchas one or more single-transistor amplifiers, one or more multi-stageamplifiers (e.g., including a driver stage and an output stage), one ormore Doherty amplifiers, or other types of power amplifiers. Similarly,where the plurality of power amplifiers 330 a-330 c are arranged as amulti-staged amplifier, interstage impedance matching can be implementedbetween stages, similar in function to the input match circuit 361 andthe output match circuit 362.

FIG. 4 shows that, in some embodiments, an envelope tracker 450 canreceive an envelope signal as a two-bit digital signal. The envelopetracker 450 receives a first one-bit digital signal via a first resistor452 and a second one-bit digital signal via a second resistor 452. Thesecond resistor 452 may be twice the resistance of the first resistor451. In some implementations, the envelope signal is a one-bit signalreceived via a single terminal or a three-or-more-bit signal receivedvia three or more terminals. Thus, the digital envelope signal receivedby the envelope tracker can include two or more concurrent digitalsignals.

The digital envelope signals are fed to a comparator 459 to effect adigital-to-analog conversion. The output of the comparator 459 is fedback to the input via a low-pass RC filter including a RC resistor 455and an RC capacitor 456 connected in parallel. The output of thecomparator 459 provides an envelope tracking signal that may be combinedwith a supply voltage (e.g., via an LC combiner) to power a plurality ofpower amplifiers as described above. Thus, the envelope tracking signalis generated by a digital-to-analog conversion of a digital envelopesignal.

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart representation of a method 500 of processing anRF signal. In some implementations (and as detailed below as anexample), the method 500 is at least partially performed by a PAcontroller, such as the PA controller 320 of FIG. 3. In someimplementations, the method 500 is at least partially performed byprocessing logic, including hardware, firmware, software, or acombination thereof. In some implementations, the method 500 is at leastpartially performed by a processor executing code stored in anon-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., a memory).

The method 500 begins, at block 510, with the PA controller determiningan output impedance. In some implementations, the PA controllerdetermines the output impedance based on a copy of an RF output signalreceived via a coupler. In some implementations, the PA controllerfurther determines an output power and/or a VSWR.

At block 520, the PA controller determines a subset of a plurality ofpower amplifiers to enable based on the output impedance. The subset ofthe plurality of power amplifiers can include one, two, or all of theplurality of power amplifiers. In some implementations, in response to ahigher output impedance, the PA controller enables more of the poweramplifiers (or enables a different subset of the power amplifiers tooutput more current). Similarly, in response to a lower outputimpedance, the PA controller enables fewer of the power amplifiers (orenables a different subset of the power amplifiers to output lesscurrent).

At block 530, the PA controller enables the subset of the plurality ofpower amplifiers. In some implementations, the PA controller enableseach of the subset of the plurality of amplifiers by providing a biasingvoltage to a bias terminal of each of the subset.

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic illustration of a power amplification(PA) system that includes input and output impedance matching todynamically configure a load line. The PA system can be similar to thePA systems described herein with reference to FIGS. 1-3. The PA systemis configured to receive an input signal 654 (e.g., a RF signal) andprovide that signal to an active device such as an amplifier 658 (e.g.,one or more transistors). The input of the PA system is coupled to theamplifier 658 through an input impedance match circuit 656. Theamplifier 658 can be coupled to ground or a ground potential through acomponent 659, the component 659 configured to provide close to zeroimpedance to ground to increase efficiency of the amplification process.

The PA system includes a supply voltage, Vdd, that can vary with time,such as supply signal 652. As described in greater detail herein, thesupply signal 652 can be a combination of a voltage from a battery andan envelope tracking signal. Accordingly, the supply signal 652 can varyin time resulting in a varying current, Idd, through a matching inductor657 to the amplifier 658. The changing supply voltage, Vdd, and/orsupply current, Idd, can result in a change in characteristics of theload line of the amplifier 658.

The PA system includes an output impedance match circuit 660 configuredto provide a matching or targeted impedance at the output of theamplifier 658 and/or to provide a targeted impedance for the load 662(e.g., Rload). In some implementations, the output impedance matchcircuit 660 is controlled to provide a targeted impedance to provide atargeted resistance at the output of the amplifier, Rlopt. This can bedone to achieve a greater power output from the amplifier. The PA systemoutputs an amplified signal 664 (e.g., RF_out) with a voltage across theload 662, Vload, and a current across the load 662, Iload.

In some embodiments, the PA system includes a controller, such as thecontrollers described herein with reference to FIGS. 2-4 and 8A-9B. Thecontroller is configured to modify the output impedance to provide aprogrammable load line for the amplifier. For example, the PA system canbe configured to reconfigure the load line to the amplifier 658 based onthe supply voltage (e.g., the voltage provided by a battery or otherpower source) and/or VSWR (voltage standing wave ratio) to increase ormaximize the efficiency of the amplifier 658. In some embodiments, thePA system modifies the output impedance match circuit 660 to result in atargeted load line for the amplifier 658. In some embodiments, the PAsystem modifies the current to the amplifier to achieve a targeted loadline for the amplifier 658. In certain implementations, a PA system thatuses a battery rather than a DC-to-DC converter may perform moreefficiently or otherwise improve performance through the use of aprogrammable or reconfigurable load line, as described herein. Forexample, FIG. 9B illustrates an example implementation of a wirelessdevice that includes one or more components configured to reconfigurethe load line(s) to an amplifier(s).

FIG. 7 illustrates a plot of example load lines that can be programmedbased on the supply voltage, output power, and/or output impedance. Asdescribed with reference to FIG. 6, supply voltage to the amplifier canvary with time. Modification of the current to the amplifier can beperformed to achieve targeted or desired performance characteristics.Each of the load lines 1-3 included in FIG. 7 represent different slopesfor the load line that are based on different voltages and differentcurrents, the slope being related to the resistance at the output of theamplifier (e.g., Rlopt). Due at least in part to the voltage and/orcurrent to the amplifier being configured to change, a PA system can beconfigured to change the load line to achieve improvements inperformance (e.g., greater efficiency) relative to a PA system with aload line that is not programmable or reconfigurable.

The plot in FIG. 7 also illustrates a knee voltage, Vkn, in the kneeregion that can be used when determining a targeted output power. Forexample, a maximum output power, P_out-max, can be calculated using thebelow formula, where Vkn is the knee voltage, Vdd is the supply voltage,and Rlopt is the resistance at the output of the amplifier:

$P_{{out}\text{-}{ma}\; x} = \frac{\left( {V_{dd} - V_{kn}} \right)^{2}}{2R_{lopt}}$

FIGS. 8A and 8B show that in some embodiments, some or all of poweramplification configurations (e.g., those shown in FIGS. 1-3) can beimplemented, wholly or partially, in a module. Such a module can be, forexample, a front-end module (FEM). In the example of FIGS. 8A and 8B, amodule 600 can include a packaging substrate 602, and a number ofcomponents can be mounted on such a packaging substrate 602. Forexample, an FE-PMIC component 604, a power amplifier assembly 606 (whichincludes a PA controller 220, examples of which are described hereinwith reference to FIGS. 1-3, 9A, and 9B), a match component 608, and amultiplexer assembly 610 can be mounted and/or implemented on and/orwithin the packaging substrate 602. Other components such as a number ofSMT devices 614 and an antenna switch module (ASM) 612 can also bemounted on the packaging substrate 602. Although all of the variouscomponents are depicted as being laid out on the packaging substrate602, it will be understood that some component(s) can be implementedover other component(s).

In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 8B, the power amplifierassembly 606 includes an envelope tracker 250, examples of which aredescribed herein with reference to FIGS. 2-4.

In some implementations, a device and/or a circuit having one or morefeatures described herein can be included in an RF electronic devicesuch as a wireless device. Such a device and/or a circuit can beimplemented directly in the wireless device, in a modular form asdescribed herein, or in some combination thereof. In some embodiments,such a wireless device can include, for example, a cellular phone, asmart-phone, a hand-held wireless device with or without phonefunctionality, a wireless tablet, etc.

FIGS. 9A and 9B depict example wireless devices 700 having one or moreadvantageous features described herein. In the context of a modulehaving one or more features as described herein, such a module can begenerally depicted by a dashed box 600, and can be implemented as, forexample, a front-end module (FEM).

Referring to FIG. 9A, power amplifiers (PAs) 720 can receive theirrespective RF signals from a transceiver 710 that can be configured andoperated in known manners to generate RF signals to be amplified andtransmitted, and to process received signals. The transceiver 710 isshown to interact with a baseband sub-system 708 that is configured toprovide conversion between data and/or voice signals suitable for a userand RF signals suitable for the transceiver 710. The transceiver 710 canalso be in communication with a power management component 706 that isconfigured to manage power for the operation of the wireless device 700.Such power management can also control operations of the basebandsub-system 708 and the module 600.

The baseband sub-system 708 is shown to be connected to a user interface702 to facilitate various input and output of voice and/or data providedto and received from the user. The baseband sub-system 708 can also beconnected to a memory 704 that is configured to store data and/orinstructions to facilitate the operation of the wireless device, and/orto provide storage of information for the user.

In the example wireless device 700, outputs of the PAs 720 are shown tobe matched (via respective output match circuits 722) and routed totheir respective diplexers 724. Such amplified and filtered signals canbe routed to an antenna 716 (or multiple antennas) through an antennaswitch 714 for transmission. In some embodiments, the diplexers 724 canallow transmit and receive operations to be performed simultaneouslyusing a common antenna (e.g., 716). In FIGS. 9A and 9B, received signalsare shown to be routed to “Rx” paths (not shown) that can include, forexample, a low-noise amplifier (LNA).

The wireless device 700 includes a power amplification (PA) controller220 configured to selectively control the PAs 720 to increaseperformance. The PA controller 220 can be configured, for example, tomodify the load line based at least in part on the supply voltage, poweroutput, and/or output impedance (e.g., the impedance of the output matchcircuits 722). Further detail and examples of PA controllers aredescribed herein with reference to FIGS. 1-3 and 8A-8B.

FIG. 9B illustrates an example implementation of a wireless device 700that includes a power amplification controller 220, a match controller734, and a tuner controller 746. In some embodiments, one or more of thepower amplification controller 220, the match controller 734, and thetuner controller 746 can be implemented in a single controller (e.g.,the PA controller 220). As described elsewhere herein, the PA controller220, the match controller 734, and/or the tuner controller 746 canreceive signals from the coupler 744, from a power or voltage supply,and/or other signals indicative of an output impedance and/or outputpower.

The PA controller 220 is configured to selectively enable and/or disableindividual power amplifiers 720. The match controller 734 is configuredto control the impedance of the output matching circuits 732. Asillustrated, each output matching circuit 732 includes an inductivecomponent and two variable capacitance components. The match controller734, in some embodiments, controls the capacitance of individual outputmatching circuits 732 to provide a targeted output resistance (e.g.,Rlopt described herein with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7). However, theoutput matching circuits 732 can be configured differently from theillustrated configuration. Similarly, individual output matchingcircuits 732 can differ from one another and need not be identical toone another.

The tuner controller 746 is configured to control an antenna tuner 748that is coupled to the antenna 716. As illustrated, the antenna tuner748 is configured with two variable capacitance components and aninductive component. The tuner controller 746, in certain embodiments,is configured to control the capacitances of the variable capacitancecomponents to tune the output to the antenna 716. The tuner controller744 can receive a signal from the coupler 744 that is correlated withthe signal output from the ASM 714. The tuner controller 744 can beconfigured to configure the antenna tuner 748 based at least in part onthe signal provided by the coupler 744.

A number of other wireless device configurations can utilize one or morefeatures described herein. For example, a wireless device does not needto be a multi-band device. In another example, a wireless device caninclude additional antennas such as diversity antenna, and additionalconnectivity features such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout thedescription and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and thelike are to be construed in an inclusive sense, as opposed to anexclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of“including, but not limited to.” The word “coupled”, as generally usedherein, refers to two or more elements that may be either directlyconnected, or connected by way of one or more intermediate elements.Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below,” and words of similarimport, when used in this application, shall refer to this applicationas a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. Wherethe context permits, words in the above Description using the singularor plural number may also include the plural or singular numberrespectively. The word “or” in reference to a list of two or more items,that word covers all of the following interpretations of the word: anyof the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and anycombination of the items in the list.

The above detailed description of embodiments of the invention is notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise formdisclosed above. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, theinvention are described above for illustrative purposes, variousequivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention,as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. For example, whileprocesses or blocks are presented in a given order, alternativeembodiments may perform routines having steps, or employ systems havingblocks, in a different order, and some processes or blocks may bedeleted, moved, added, subdivided, combined, and/or modified. Each ofthese processes or blocks may be implemented in a variety of differentways. Also, while processes or blocks are at times shown as beingperformed in series, these processes or blocks may instead be performedin parallel, or may be performed at different times.

The teachings of the invention provided herein can be applied to othersystems, not necessarily the system described above. The elements andacts of the various embodiments described above can be combined toprovide further embodiments.

While some embodiments of the inventions have been described, theseembodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are notintended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Indeed, the novel methodsand systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of otherforms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in theform of the methods and systems described herein may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the disclosure. The accompanying claims andtheir equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications aswould fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A power amplification system comprising: aplurality of power amplifiers connected in parallel between a signalinput terminal and a signal output terminal, each of the plurality ofpower amplifiers including a power amplifier input terminal coupled tothe signal input terminal and a power amplifier output terminal coupledto the signal output terminal, the plurality of power amplifiers poweredby a supply voltage; an output impedance matching component disposedbetween the plurality of power amplifier output terminals and the signaloutput terminal; and a power amplifier controller configured to adjustthe output impedance matching component based on the supply voltage toprovide a targeted load line for the plurality of power amplifiers toimprove efficiency of the plurality of power amplifiers.